b'As a private company, it would bePROTECTING THE FREEDOM TOsuppliers for their seeds, and to avoid too very difficult to invest in a market that isCHOOSE much concentration on the market.very small and, therefore, not attractive.If diversity is the foundation of resilience, Thats why we decided with RAGT andthen farmer choice is the mechanism thatSOIL AS CAPITALFlorimond Desprez to gather our effortskeeps it alive. But that choice depends onFor Fournier, the case for diversity ulti-to invest. That motivated Sofiproteol, thehow markets and intellectual-propertymately comes down to what farmers build government and other stakeholders to putframeworks are built.or depletebeneath their feet. The money in, because they saw we were readyAs a pure seed company, by defini- health of Europes soils, he argues, is its to gather our know-how, our genetics, ourtion we give the choice to farmersatmost undervalued asset.IP, and our means together on a crop whereleast between where they buy the seeds andWhenyouaskafarmerinthe there is not a big market yetbut that haswhere they buy the chemicals, FournierMidwest or in India what is his main con-real potential for the future. says. Then we need to give them choice oncern, you get the same answer: the fertil-Even as programs like the pea initi- the crops they want to grow, the species,ity of my soil, Fournier says. They know ative show progress, however, structuralthe varieties. Thats why we develop a mul- they consume the capital they have in their incentives remain weak. Farmers still maketi-crop portfolio. soil, but they feel armless when it comes planting decisions largely on short-termEuropes Plant Variety Protectiontorenewing it, reinforcing it. Alternating returns, and seed companiesfacing high(PVP) system has long encouraged opencrops and good agronomic practices are part R&D costsmust prioritize markets withaccess to germplasm, enabling continuousof the solutions to enrich the soil in organic predictable value. Without mechanismsinnovation. As new genomic techniquesmatter.that reward diversification, many alternativemove toward deregulation, the coexistenceAt present, few economic mechanisms crops risk remaining niche at best. between PVP and patent protection willreward farmers for building soil health. become crucial, Fournier says. Its not worthwhile, at the moment, to WHY DIVERSITY MATTERS grow crops just to increase fertilitythats Diversity isnt just an ecological virtue: itsnot rewarded enough, Fournier says. We an insurance policy. From food security toIf you want to sustainneed to find a way to motivate them to get soil health to regulation, diversity under- soil health and evenvalue also by improving the value of their pins every form of resilience agriculturesoil asset.depends on. improve it, you mustThat shift will require new forms of Diversity secures sovereignty. By wid- alternate crops andpolicy innovationturning soil stewardship ening the range of crops Europe can growinto a measurable, tradable form of value, and trade, it protects against dependencechoose the right ones tomuch as carbon is being monetized today. on imports and the instability of globalTheres a big gap between growing a markets. keep the potential commercial crop you will sell and growing a When it comes to food sovereignty,of your soil. crop that only helps the soil, Fournier says. we need to secure a minimum supply inThats a big challenge for European policy the different crops we would need: energy,Regis Fournierto find a way to motivate farmers in this proteins, fatty acids, everything, saysdirection, and not only with constraints.Fournier. In this world, which is unfortu- His message to farmers is clear:nately becoming more and more regional,Your job is amazing and gives you a thats a concern for the future. lot of responsibility: you have to produce, Diversity also sustains soil fertility We need to make sure that the regu- but at the same time to take care of your the quiet capital of European farming.latory and IP frameworks allow innovationsoil. You have animmediate concern to If you want to sustain soil healthto continue. New technologies will offerpreserve profitability of your farm, but you and even improve it, you must alternatedifferent possibilities for farmersresist- also have to invest for the future. This is the crops and choose the right ones to keep theance to disease, resistance to biotic stresseslegacy you will pass on.potential of your soil, Fournier says. and thats significant progress. But it Crops like legumes, cover crops, andmust not lead to restricting the breedersA COLLECTIVE RESPONSIBILITYdeep-rooted species recycle nutrients, addexemption andaccess to the diversity ofIf Europes food systems are to withstand organic matter, and protect the biologicalgermplasm accessible through the plantthe pressures of climate, policy, and market capital that long-term productivity reliesvariety protection system. Thats whyconsolidation, responsibility must be shared on. Limagrain is one of the founders of theacross every link in the seed value chain. Finally, diversity drives adaptability.European Agricultural Crops LicencingBreeders must keep genetic options open. A broad seed portfoliowith geneticsPlatform (ACLP): its one of the tools toPolicymakers must create space for alter-that can perform under different climates,protect breeders exemption. native crops to thrive. And farmers, in stress conditions, and regulatory limits If patents on traits and gene editsturn, must have the freedom and support gives Europe room to maneuver as policiesbegin to overlap with traditional breedingto choose what best sustains their land.evolve. As pesticide and nutrient restric- rights, Europe could risk the same nar- As Fournier says, resilience is a collec-tions tighten, genetic diversity becomes therowing dynamic it already faces at the croptive actone that begins in the seed but key to meeting environmental goals withoutlevelfewer players, fewer pipelines, fewerendures through cooperation, protecting sacrificing yield. optionshe says. Maintaining coexistencenot just what feeds us today, but the diver-Together, these dimensions show thatbetween PVP and patents, he emphasizes,sity that will feed us tomorrow.diversity isnt a luxury or a sloganitsis a way to preserve, in the long term,Diversity of the offer is keyeach resilience infrastructure.access to choice for farmers and to differentyear and for the long term. NOVEMBER 2025|SEEDWORLD.COM/EUROPEISEED WORLD EUROPE I 13'